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Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Review: City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4) by Cassandra Clare

Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: April 5, 2011
Pages: 424
Source: For Review from Simon and Schuster Canada (Thank you!)
Rating: 4.5 Stars

City of Fallen Angels takes place two months after the events of City of Glass. In it, a mysterious someone’s killing the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle and displaying their bodies around New York City in a manner designed to provoke hostility between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, leaving tensions running high in the city and disrupting Clary’s plan to lead as normal a life as she can — training to be a Shadowhunter, and pursuing her relationship with Jace. As Jace and Clary delve into the issue of the murdered Shadowhunters, they discover a mystery that has deeply personal consequences for them — consequences that may strengthen their relationship, or rip it apart forever. 
Meanwhile, internecine warfare among vampires is tearing the Downworld community apart, and only Simon — the Daylighter who everyone wants on their side — can decide the outcome; too bad he wants nothing to do with Downworld politics. Love, blood, betrayal and revenge: the stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.

In short: In this latest installment to The Mortal Instruments Series, City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare features the return of our favourite characters but now with new troubles, consequences, and villains that are not to be missed!
I was so excited for this long awaited return to one of my favourite series! Oh, how I missed the intense action scenes, the witty dialogue, and above all, the characters. I have grown extremely fond of the characters in The Mortal Instruments Series over the years. As I mentioned in my Clockwork Angel review, Cassandra Clare excels at creating characters that all have unique personalities and all have their own side stories. There is not one character who falls flat in this series and I honestly care about all of them and their futures. Simon lovers, like me, will especially enjoy this latest installment as he receives a major emphasis in the story this time around.

The beginning of City of Fallen Angels was a little slow for me and I had a bit of trouble returning to the world. But once I did, it was like I had never left these characters whom I adore so much. It was such a relief to feel this way because I had initially had my doubts about the continuation of a series that started off as only a trilogy. Could Clare create a new and unique plot and new trials and tribulations for our favourite characters, and not have it seem manufactured and forced? Turns out that yes, she most certainly can!

Speaking of new trials and tribulations for our favourite characters, boy, did Clare ever provide us with some doozies! I felt so bad for some of the things the characters have to go through. Poor Simon, hasn't he been through enough change in his life to deal with? Poor Jace and Clary, will they ever get to have their happy ever after? Well, not if Clare has anything to say about it. She has proven time and time again that she is evil and has no problems with playing with her readers' emotions. And no where is this more evident than in the jaw dropping cliffhanger that she leaves us with! Argh!

Overall, City of Fallen Angels is an amazing addition to an amazing series. It was so cool to read this book and then return to my list of Top 10 Questions to be Resolved in TMI Cycle 2. Clare whet my appetite by answering a handful of my questions while still leaving a few of them to be resolved in either City of Lost Souls (to be released in 2012) or City of Heavenly Fire (to be released in 2013). I simply cannot wait!

Other Reviews:
Avery's Book Nook
Poetry to Prose
Supernatural Snark

Stalk the author (not for serious):
Website
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Fansite - MortalInstruments.net
Fansite - Mundie Moms

*Read as part of the YA Series Challenge

17 comments :

  1. Great review. I'm about a third of the way through this book. I also think it's a bit slow, but I'm hoping it improves. It must. I'm interested to see where the series goes.

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  2. I can not wait either! This is still one of my favorite series. I loved that this one focused mainly on Simon...I love him even more now! :0)

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  3. This one started a little slow for me too as I was trying to get back into the world, but I just love these characters so much that I know I'll enjoy any story with them in it:) Fantastic review Aylee, I can't wait for the next one either!

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  4. Man, I really need to get around to reading this series. I think I'll start it after I'm done my summer course since the books are quite big. Then I can join in all the hype for the next book and the planned movie :) Great review, Aylee!

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  5. Great review! I'm glad to hear that the series continues to be amazing. I finally read the second and third books in this series. And I really want to pick up the first book in Infernal Devices.

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  6. I still haven't had a chance to get to this one yet. Definitely this summer!

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  7. I haven't read mine yet. Mostly because I know that there is going to be a cliff hanger, and I hate cliff hangers when I have to wait forever for a new release. It hurts me. Before the summer's out I'll get to it (I think).

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  8. Alison: Don't worry, it does pick up pace past the first third, I thought!

    Tracy: Me too! I didn't think it was possible but I really do love him (and all of the characters) even more now.

    Jenny: Yes, exactly! I swear, I could read about the most boring plot so long as these characters are involved in some way. I just love them :)

    Zahida: I hope you love them!! They are quite big, but I found I was able to fly through them very quickly.

    Jessica: Ooh, yes, you must read Clockwork Angel! I can't decide which series I like more, honestly.

    Logan: A great summer series I should think! I hope you enjoy :)

    Sara: haha, yeah it does actually hurt sometimes, doesn't it? There is such a long wait for the next one... it probably couldn't hurt to wait for a couple of months to read it.

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  9. I'm holding off reading this because of the hype right now, but I'm dying to try it out! I can't wait to see the characters again - especially after you described them! :)

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  10. I am waiting for this book. But it's still somewhere. I wish It will arrive soon.

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  11. Melissa: I hope you enjoy it! It can definitely wait for the hype to die down... especially with that killer cliffhanger!

    Aleetha: Oh, dear. I hope it isn't lost in the mail.

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  12. Hmm, more Simon? I liked Simon. I still need to read City of Glass, but I think I'll just wait until the rest are published at this point. Especially if there's a killer cliffhanger. I can't take anymore! Good to know that it doesn't feel like unnecessary stretching. Thanks for all the info! I love your sequel reviews. You give just the right amount of info without spoiling anything for people who haven't read the series.

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  13. This cliffhanger especially was killer. Just evil, as I said. But at the same time, I don't think I could just wait it out, that would be too hard as well. And thanks, I certainly try my best :)

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  14. I loved City of fallen angels but not as much as the other books in the series !
    I was still happy to read about this world and his character though :)
    And I totally agree the cliffhanger was evil !

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  15. Yeah, I wouldn't say it was my favourite book in the series but I'm definitely looking forward to seeing where Cassie goes with this new "cycle 2" trilogy.

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  16. This is so weird - I literally just wrote a review on this but hadn't typed it up yet, when I came to look at updates on your blog and found that you'd done it! Well, maybe not that weird after all. I thought it was really good anyway, although I really really should've read the first three books first!

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    1. You read this without reading the first 3?? I bet that was hugely confusing!!

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